Spain’s King Felipe VI gave a traditional Christmas Eve speech to remember the victims of the catastrophic floods in Valencia and to urge the country to remain calm as it tackles thorny issues such as immigration and housing affordability.
In a pre-recorded speech, which usually addresses the most pressing issues of the year, Felipe said Spain “must never forget the pain and sadness” caused by the floods.
The flooding on October 29 in eastern Spain killed more than 225 people, destroyed many homes and left graveyards of cars piled on top of each other. In some cities, the downpours that caused the flooding brought an annual rainfall rate in just eight hours.
The Spanish king also focused on immigration. He said growing international instability, difficulties in accessing housing or managing immigration are issues that deserve attention.
Felipe VI believes that immigration is a complex phenomenon that causes great social sensitivity. Migration without proper management can lead to tensions that undermine social cohesion. The King stated the importance of coordinating the issue with European partners and with the states where immigrants come from.
In October, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Europe was experiencing a “demographic winter” and therefore needed immigrants. In September, the Spanish Centre for Sociological Research presented the data of a poll about the main problem for the country. The most popular answer was immigration.
